Compressible needleless valve assembly

ABSTRACT

A valve for a needleless valve system. The valve includes a body configured to be disposed in the needleless valve system and controlling fluid flow through the needleless valve system and wherein the body is tail-less. The body includes a continuous top surface, and a compression feature configured to control how the body is compressed to allow fluid flow through the needleless valve system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/673,971, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, entitled “TAILLESS NEEDLELESS VALVESYSTEM,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND

A needleless valve system that includes a valve with a tail requires ahousing that can encompass the tail. Accordingly, additional force isrequired to compress the tail and additional fluid is required to primeand/or flush the housing that encompasses the tail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-B depicts embodiments of tail-less valves.

FIGS. 2-4 depicts embodiments of needleless valve systems.

The drawings referred to in this description should be understood as notbeing drawn to scale except if specifically noted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the presenttechnology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. While the technology will be described in conjunction withvarious embodiment(s), it will be understood that they are not intendedto limit the present technology to these embodiments. On the contrary,the present technology is intended to cover alternatives, modificationsand equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope ofthe various embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

Furthermore, in the following description of embodiments, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present technology. However, the present technologymay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well known methods, procedures, and components have not been describedin detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the presentembodiments.

FIGS. 1A-2 depicts an isometric cross-sectional view of variousembodiments of valves 100A-C, respectively. Specifically, FIG. 2 depictsan isometric cross-sectional view of a needleless valve assembly 200.

Valves 100A-C are similar in structure and functionality. For clarityand brevity, the description herein, will focus on valve 100A. Valve100A and other valves described herein can also be described as a valveplug, piston, etc. Valve 100A is configured to be utilized in aneedleless valve system, which will be described in further detailbelow.

Valve 100A is tail-less. That is valve 100A does not include a tail thatprotrudes down from body 110.

In contrast, in conventional valves for a needleless valve system, thevalve includes a tail portion that physically contacts the valvehousing. In particular, the tail is compressed by a needleless luer.When the luer is removed from the housing, the tail relaxes to itsoriginal position and urges the valve back into a sealed position.

Because valve 100A is tail-less, less material is required tomanufacture the valve and also less material manufacture the housing(e.g., housing 210) that surrounds valve. As a result, cost is reducedto manufacture the tail-less valve and associated needleless valveassembly.

Moreover, less force is required to deform the valve into an unsealedposition as compared to a conventional valve that includes a tail.

Additionally, the height of the valve is reduced. As a result, thehousing to encase the valve is also reduced. As such, the housing mayinclude a lower volume (e.g., volume 330) as compared to housings ofconventional needleless valve assemblies. Therefore, less fluid isrequired to properly prime and/or flush the housing.

Valve 100A includes, among other things, body 110, top surface 120,compression feature 130A, internal cavity 132A and retaining flange 140.

Top surface 120 is configured to seal a port of a housing, which will bedescribed in detail below. Top surface 120 is continuous and does notinclude (or does not require) any broken portions. For example, topsurface 120 is a continuous feature that does not include a slit, cut,hole, etc. In particular, top surface 120 does not require a splitseptum.

Top surface 120 is a smooth unbroken surface. As such, when top surfaceis swabbed, pathogens are readily removed and the surface is properlysanitized.

Retaining flange 140 is for retaining valve 100A within housing 210. Itshould be appreciated that valve 100A may be retained within the housingby various retaining features and mechanisms that are compatible forproper and secure retention.

Compression feature 130A is a wall with a thickness that is greater, ascompared, to the wall thickness proximate the thick wall. It should benoted that a compression feature, as described herein, is any physicalfeature or combination of physical features that controls or directs thecompression/collapse of the valve. For example, compression feature130A, because it has a greater wall thickness, will cause body 110 tocompress in an area with a thinner wall thickness (or an area away fromcompression feature 130A). Also, the combination of compression feature130A and cavity 132 may facilitate in the controlled location of thecompression of valve 100A.

Compression feature 130B is a through hole or cavity through the entirebody. As such, valve 110B will readily collapse or compress in the areaof compression feature 130B.

Compression feature 132C is an amorphous and asymmetrical cavityextending from a bottom surface up towards top surface 120. As such,valve 110C will readily collapse or compress in the area of compressionfeature 132C.

It should be appreciated that various compression features can be, butare not limited to, asymmetric along a center cross-section of saidbody, off-set along a center cross-section of said body, etc.

FIG. 2 depicts needleless valve assembly 200 in a closed or sealedposition. That is, valve 100C, in a relaxed and natural position, isseated in housing 210 via retaining flange 140. In particular, theperipheral outer surface of valve 100C seals against inner wall 212 suchthat port 214 is fluidly sealed. That is, fluid is unable to passthrough port 214 (in either direction).

In various embodiments, needleless valve assembly 200 can be attached orfluidly connected to a catheter or a stop-cock. Needleless valveassembly 200 may be integrated with other valving mechansims, such as astop cock.

Valves 100A-C may be comprised of any material that is conducive forproper sealing and controlled deformation and an ability to naturallyspring back to its natural position. For example, valves may becomprised of silicone.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of needleless valve assembly 300.Needleless device 350 (e.g., a needleless syringe) is forced into port314 such the valve (e.g., valves 100A-C) is deformed. For clarity andbrevity, the displacement of top surface 320 is shown during unsealingof port 314. However, the compressed or deformed body of the valvewithin housing 310 is not shown.

Needleless device 350 displaces the head of valve downward along innerwall 312. Once top surface 320 is positioned within shoulder 316 (whichhas a greater diameter than the diameter at inner wall 312) then theseal is broken and fluid flow is able to occur. In one embodiment, topsurface 320 is planar and/or tilted (at an angle with respect to the tipof the needleless device) based on the compression feature (e.g.,compression features 130A-C) of the body of the valve.

Fluid is able to flow in direction 340 from needleless device 350,around top surface 320 and through housing 310 to the patient. It shouldbe appreciated that housing 310 and/or the valve include ports orchannels (not shown) that allow the fluid to pass entirely throughneedleless valve assembly 300.

In one embodiment, fluid flow may occur in the opposite direction. Forexample, blood is drawn from the patient into volume 330 around thevalve and top surface 320 into a needleless syringe.

When needleless device 350 is removed from needleless valve assembly300, the valve relaxes to its original position such that top surfacereseals port 314.

FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view of needleless valve assembly 400.Needleless valve assembly 400 is similar to needleless valve assembly300, as described above. In one embodiment, top surface 420 is deformedin a “V-shape” when the needleless device pushes down on top surface 420and the valve is deformed such that the port is unsealed. In particular,top surface 420 is deformed into the “V-shape” based on the compressionfeature (e.g., compression features 130A-C) of the body of the valve. Assuch, fluid is able to flow in direction 440 from the needleless device,around top surface 420 and through the housing to the patient. It shouldbe appreciated that the housing and/or the valve include ports orchannels (not shown) that allow the fluid to pass entirely throughneedleless valve assembly 400.

In various embodiments, top surface 420 can be deformed into anynon-planar shape such the seal is broken and fluid is able to flowthrough needleless valve assembly 400.

It should be appreciated that embodiments, as described herein, can beutilized or implemented alone or in combination with one another. Whilethe present invention has been described in particular embodiments, itshould be appreciated that the present invention should not be construedas limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to thefollowing claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A compressible needleless valve assemblycomprising: a valve configured to be disposed in the compressibleneedleless valve assembly and for controlling a fluid flow through thecompressible needleless valve assembly, the valve comprising: a headhaving a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the headcomprising a continuous top surface, wherein the continuous top surfaceis non-planar during the fluid flow through the compressible needlelessvalve assembly; and an annular skirt coupled to the proximal end of thehead, the skirt comprising (i) a retaining flange at a proximal most endof the valve, extending radially outward from a central longitudinalaxis of the valve, and (ii) a compression feature extending radiallyinward from, and discontinuous around, an inner surface of the skirtsuch that a wall thickness of the skirt is greater at the compressionfeature than at an opposite side of the skirt, the retaining flange andthe compression feature positioned coplanar along the centrallongitudinal axis, wherein the compression feature is configured tocontrol how the valve is compressed to permit the fluid flow through thecompressible needleless valve assembly.
 2. The valve of claim 1, whereinthe continuous top surface does not require a slit.
 3. The valve ofclaim 1, wherein the compression feature is asymmetric.
 4. The valve ofclaim 1, wherein the compression feature is asymmetric along a centercross-section of the valve.
 5. The valve of claim 1, wherein thecompression feature is off-set along a center cross-section of thevalve.
 6. The valve of claim 1, wherein a portion of the valve ishollow.
 7. The valve of claim 1, wherein the compression feature furthercomprises a cavity extending entirely through the valve.
 8. The valve ofclaim 7, wherein the cavity extends through the valve, between thedistal end of the head and the proximal end of the head.
 9. Acompressible needleless valve assembly comprising: a housing comprisinga fluid port; and a valve disposed in the housing, the valve comprising:a head having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of thehead comprising a continuous top surface, wherein the continuous topsurface is non-planar during the fluid flow through the compressibleneedleless valve assembly; and an annular skirt coupled to the proximalend of the head, the skirt comprising (i) a retaining flange at aproximal most end of the valve, extending radially outward from acentral longitudinal axis of the valve, and (ii) a compression featureextending radially inward from, and discontinuous around, an innersurface of the skirt such that a wall thickness of the skirt is greaterat the compression feature than at an opposite side of the skirt, theretaining flange and the compression feature positioned coplanar alongthe central longitudinal axis, wherein the compression feature isconfigured to control how the valve is compressed to permit the fluidflow through the compressible needleless valve assembly.
 10. Thecompressible needleless valve assembly of claim 9, wherein thecontinuous top surface is tilted with respect to a top surface of thehousing during the fluid flow through the compressible needleless valveassembly.
 11. The compressible needleless valve assembly of claim 9,wherein the continuous top surface does not require a slit.
 12. Thecompressible needleless valve assembly of claim 9, wherein thecompression feature further comprises a cavity extending entirelythrough the valve.
 13. The valve of claim 12, wherein the cavity extendsthrough the valve, between the distal end of the head and the proximalend of the head.
 14. The compressible needleless valve assembly of claim9, wherein the compression feature is asymmetric.
 15. The compressibleneedleless valve assembly of claim 9, wherein the compression feature isasymmetric along a cross-section of the valve.
 16. The compressibleneedleless valve assembly of claim 9, wherein a portion of the valve ishollow.